Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-02-26
BUSTER BILL

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l.i'4.ffo BY Jupiter!. said Buster Bill.
t'@ It might have sounded harsh from, nny
other inhabitant Of Gold Run, but COM
I ing from the lips Of Buster Bill it was
.ditferents FOR Buster, Bill had deer, blue
eyes, and his yellow hair curled into a
rtppknot on his small, round head; and
Buster Bill had not yet attained to the
aGeiof easpn, being but eight years old.
Also, Buster Hiil, with his yellow top
knot protrndlny through the hole in
Keno Dicks cast-off sombrero, and his
sturdy little knees smiling through the
iAholes in Paddy Noonan's discarded OVER
alls, was as irrecopcilable with the idea
Of harshness as oil with water.
by Georgel I'll bet you my biggest
ch'spa You can't do III" went on Bill,
decisiyely.
yTheltwo persons so unconscious of his
se6rniwoud have made-well, without
any exaggeration. seven of him. And
hthQy might have been trusted to make
sever :Jut ofe him had they heard his
crushing verdict But Bill, when he
woke9Gp in the old, sunny gold pocket
EibH tle hillside, and heard the two tough
nutsSfo the camp planning for the rob
beryHF Keno Dicks cabin, had sense
enodgh to lie still and save his remarks
till Hphe but the yellow poppies could
nod defiance to.hiin. ~ ~ FfF'is,
Inthe course Of his six years residence
among the pine trees and powders Of
Gcld Run there had been nobody tc
whom Buster Bill looked up as he. did to
Keno Dick. Although he was on init.
mate terms withthe whole camp, there
by procuring for his mother monopoly
off, the, washing on that portion of the
High Sierra it was to LICK alone that he
turned in bis extremities Whenhe had
forgotten TO bring his mother the box Of
starch: for which she was waiting, or
when: the new bar of soap had Accidentally
slipped from his pocket down to the
SUNG Of the shaft he had been superin-
tending, 1t was lick who had stood at
the door 0f his cabin while Bill dashed
under his arm--a wall firm and secure
I'hfainSt the Female Avenger. 1t was
j Lick who remarked that the next fellow
who fell down the sump would come up
lcleaneF than be bad been since he left
.ltht States; and 1t was Dick who fished
out from the storthouse under his bed
the twin 10 BillH bar Of soap, and sent
the Xvengcr home rejoicing. ffe
And D.ck hac been out on q prospect
ing tour for two days, and was not e4.
pected back until tomorrow night. Bill
\ had Intended TO accompany him, but
Bills mother was: Of the opinion that be
might be wantin, fer sumthin' ellie, and
wat time had she fer ter be runnin' ar
rantsG So Hill bad stayed 1T home, and
this afternoon he had been cautioned not
ito set fut oil the hill, fer indade She was
knot blist wid the voice Of q stame-
whustle. ~ - 2E
Therefore he had crawled into the dc.
serted pocket, and, until half an hour
.kaao,o hid slept tile sleep slept only by the
boytwho knows his mother wants him.
Then he had started wide4Wdlrs to listen
to tk6;fobbers' pots, apd the plots were
.l;against Keno Dick. ai''' .N'a
Bin stared after the Fetreating figures,
dimly seen et the bottom Of the hill, and
then sat down to embrace his tan-colored
knees and arrange for the nights work.
4 Most people would have announced the
newefn penlneeting at the Gold RIM
hofel that night, but not so Buster Bill.
l,Wha,it for such tame atIAiTs he had thus
been christeued by the wits IN camp
Was itfor this he had learned; of Wild
Bilk had yearned for him, and dreamed
Of hint mol 1t should never be said
of.himfth that he profited not by his teach.
ingsls The yellow topkuot was mosi
con1sutont handle, and he reached ths
top OF the hill with almost painful ce.
lcrity, for, alasl carried away by his
apoItfophes, Buster Bill had forgotten
tosrctire TO his hole in the ground, aud
\ tlIe. .aRengeflwas abroad
tsgqgB
t1hs night was gloomy and the wird
sighed through the pines and whistled
in the .chaparral. The taliest branches
whipped across the trail, and seemed 10
bfaEe Huster Bill 70 be trying to scoop
him up in their dark, arms, as he strug.
gled with the old shotgun he had plir.
loinhd from under tho, Avengers very
nose, as she sat noddipQ after supper.
Thegnn had belonged TO his father, and
no wondered, as IL caught in the trees
and busbcs, and the holes in Paddy
" Nudnans oseralls, how he had ever car
I ricd Il wien he was weak and sick. And
v hr bansed and considered Why he had
\ brought it With him tonight. lie had
\ not the slightest iptcDrion Of using it,
\ but Wild Bill always carried gun. Then
!, the branches made another scoop Ut IL,
I &nd the trail kept getting mixed up with
tne roeks. and Buster Bill was fain TO
fhro up his glory and sit down 10 weep.
He had always regretted the distance
between bis own residence and Dick s.
but hc vas sure the trail was bewitched
ton 'ght. and Dicks bag Of dust, which
be had hidden so securely in the sack Of
! nam wlliig Bill threaded . need . TO
3 bsk hufhS bhtnlnR and made like a
NV sackg Eeulds be stolen. He had
hcurd them cay that they would rip
hcveryshing 6peh, aud they would be
hlest II Keno Dick could hide his dust
ikfrom them. 1hey bad mentioned Incl
o. .iilIf ..ifh .tftHi ,ti'Hf f.fnit
I.I